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Information for parents

A golden opportunity

Letting your son or daughter leave for a two-year course at a UWC far away from home is not an easy decision. On one hand they leave home sooner than you would expect, on the other hand when they return they tend to be more independent and mature than their Belgian peers. Although we encourage students to make it their own decision whether or not to apply to UWC, it is important that their parents support them in this decision. Students may need the encouragement of their parents when the going gets tough, especially at the beginning. They may also need your guidance when they return from college, regarding their further study and career decisions. Some students may decide to pursue university studies in another country. Others will take a gap year before continuing with their education. Some alumni who return to study in Belgium, may find it difficult at first to adapt to Belgian life again.

While at a UWC college, students are in the care of world-class, motivated and dynamic teachers and pedagogues. Students are closely appraised in, what is, a diverse but harmonious community. Every semester parents receive a report from the college on study, activity and service matters concerning their son or daughter.

The rewards of an UWC experience are immense for both students and their parents. Your teenage son or daughter will receive an excellent education and will have a head start in life compared to the average student in Belgium. They will develop a mature, all-round personality with many new skills and languages to match. He or she will be fully equipped to face the challenges of a rapidly changing, globalising society. UWC alumni forge lifelong friendships with highly talented individuals throughout the world, many of whom will visit your home or welcome your child into their own homes. This creates a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to get to know and appreciate new cultures. Parents often visit their son or daughter in their college over summer. This helps them to share some of the rich experiences of life in a vibrant international community.